DragonSong
by Sheryl Nantus
Summary: Brandy's has a new game...


All Characters copyright of TenThirteen Productions and Chris Carter. No infringement intended on any part...I like being poor, really...The character of Jackie St. George belongs to me though... 

Comments, complaints and just plain talk to sheryl_martin@tvo.org 

You ever come across a song that you just gotta put into a story? Yah... Credit's at the end... 

DragonSongby Sheryl Martin 

Ed looked around the mostly-deserted bar. It had been a quiet morning, and it looked like the afternoon was going to be just as bad. The only customers he had were those three in their usual booth; hopefully staying for dinner. At the rate they were going through the beer, at least. 

Brandy's had become one of the safest bars in the city lately, with the amount of federal agents and embassy staff flowing in and out for a quick pint and a fast meal. And the three biggest offenders were laughing over something. Looking down at the wires collecting around his feet, he sighed. This would take expert negotiation skills and timing. Filling two pitchers of beer, he strode over to the table. 

"And then he says, 'oh, I didn't think you meant THAT leaf!'" Jackie St. George smiled as the two pitchers hit the table. "Mulder... you lush you." 

Fox Mulder raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, I didn't order them." He grinned at Dana Scully. "Trying to bribe your way out of that paperwork sitting back at the office?" 

She shook her head. "Ed?" 

"Well..." The beefy man wiped his hands on the ever-present towel at his waist. "We're preparing for the New Year's Eve party..." 

"Right..." Jackie made a motion with her hands. 

"And we just installed this new karo... singing machine..." 

"Ed..." Fox's voice dropped to a low drone. 

"And I need someone to test it so I can set the levels..." The three faces stared at him blankly. "Alright, lunch and these two pitchers?" 

"Hmm..." Dana tapped the table top with her fingers. "I could use the money..." 

Pulling out a deck of cards, St. George grinned. "Low card sings like a bird." She smirked at Mulder. "Or like a Fox, should I say..." 

Breathing a sigh of relief, Ed backed away. Mission accomplished. And he would have given them an extra dinner if they had pushed it. 

Shuffling the deck expertly, she put it in the centre of the table. "I'll go first. Low card." Picking up a handful, Jackie flipped it over. "Jack of Spades." A smile spread across her face. "You're up, Mulder." 

Whistling on his palms, he recut the deck and turned his hand up. "King of Diamonds." He announced gleefully. "Scully..." 

"Can we talk about this?" Dana sighed as the reassembled deck slid over to sit in front of her. The two people exchanged glances, then shook their heads in perfect time. 

Picking up a handful, she took a deep breath and turned the hand upward. 

"Queen of Hearts." Jackie whispered. "Oh, you..." 

"Guess we'll see how a Dragon sings, hmm?" Fox's angelic smile lit up the booth. With a groan she got to her feet. 

"No promises. And I swear that if you mention this to Marty..." 

"When does he come in?" Dana took a sip of her drink. 

"Whenever he can get clear of the airport. Alright..." Stepping over to the machine, she pawed through the song book. "Hope you got insurance on this thing, Ed..." 

Waving from across the room, he gave her a thumbs up as he sat at the instrument panel. Pursing her lips, she ran through the book a second time before stopping with a smile on a page. 

"Right. Number 69... and I'm not apologising." 

Ignoring the two snickering agents, she stepped up to the microphone; leaving it attached to the stand. 

"Next time..." Jackie wagged a finger at the pair. "But I don't have to watch you watching me." Closing her eyes, she gestured at the bartender. 

"I thought the idea was to see the words on the screen." Fox whispered as the music started. Dana shrugged. 

"Guess she knows it. 'The Cowboy Song?'" She frowned as the slow, low unfamiliar notes hit the air. "No..." 

"Come to me now...Lay your hands over me...Even if it's a lie; say it will be alrightAnd I will believe..." 

Dana took a deep breath, feeling the off-tune words reach into her soul and remind her of how the world had changed; kept changing for her. And her faith was part of that world... 

"Broken in two...I know you're on to me...That I only come home; when I'm so all aloneBut I do believe..." 

Fox sat back, not daring to look at the woman beside him. Because he knew for certain that if she looked into his eyes that he'd be lost forever in hers... 

Standing at the mike with her eyes tightly closed, St. George gestured with her hands at the imaginary audience in her mind. All the bad notes disappeared in her mind as she sung along with the music. 

"That not everything is gonna be the wayYou think it ought to be...It seems like every time I try to make it rightIt all comes down on me...Please say honestly you won't give up on me...And I shall believe...I shall believe..." 

Ed looked up quickly from the instrument board as the front door of Brandy's opened and closed quickly. 

"Open the door...And show me your face tonight...I know it's true; no one heals me like youAnd you hold the key..." 

Dana thought again about their first case; when she had practically thrown herself into his arms at the irrational fear that she had signs of the abductee children they had been investigating. A wry smile curved her mouth at the memory; at the way he hadn't laughed at her or taken advantage of the situation to hit on her. He had held her, and that had been enough then. Like the time with Pfaster. Like a lot of times. But soon that wouldn't be enough... 

"Never again...Would I turn away from you...I'm so heavy tonight; but your love is alrightAnd I do believe... 

Fox let out a low sigh, the breath whistling between his teeth. He could suddenly feel her hand atop his wrist; the slender fingers touching the skin just below his thumb. Her delicate touch sent his heart racing with the memory of how he could not survive without her; that the one time he had tried it had been a horse race to see who would claim his soul first. Then she had come back, and he had climbed out of the darkness to be with her again... 

Eyes still tightly closed, Jackie tried to hit the notes as best she could; a part of her mind chuckling and reminding her that she had made the right career choice - she'd starve if she tried to do this for a living. 

"That not everything is gonna be the wayYou think it ought to be...It seems like every time I try to make it rightIt all comes down on me...Please say honestly you won't give up on me...And I shall believe...I shall believe... 

Suddenly a set of hands came around her as she stood at the mike; wrapping themselves comfortably around her waist. With a smile she kept her eyes closed and finished the song, leaning back into his embrace. 

"I shall believe...I shall believe..." 

"I didn't know you could sing." A soft voice whispered in her ear. Turning, she smiled shyly at Marty. 

"I can't." She looked over at the couple in the booth, their gaze intense on each other. "Good time to slip away, I think..." 

"Sure about that?" Marty raised an eyebrow. "Don't want to get them mad..." 

Taking a step towards the door, St. George cleared her throat softly. "Ah, music taming the savage beast..." 

"I thought the original quote was breast." 

She took his hand fondly. "That too. But I do perform better in private..." 

"Oh..." With a nod to Ed the couple slipped out of the bar, unnoticed by the two agents. 

Fox finally lifted his face from the table top to meet Dana's; finding the bottomless depths of her eyes drawing him in. With a soft smile she took ahold of his hand and held it tightly in hers; squeezing it lovingly. His breath disappeared; and he couldn't speak. 

But she didn't need the words. There were no words; no way to express this. Taking his other hand, he placed it atop hers; stroking the delicate skin tenderly. This would have to be enough, for now. But they knew the truth. 

And they believed. 

*********************"I Shall Believe" by Sheryl Crow - Tuesday Night Music Club 

"The priest, he said my sole salvationwas in the battles of the angelsand underneath the waves of passionI keep the faith in my own fashion..."Sting -- "When We Dance" 


End file.
